Telephone instruments conventionally include a telephone base module and a handset which is supported by the base module when a telephone is not in use. Some more recent telephone instruments have also included a base stand module that is used in conjunction with the base module. Such base stand modules allowed the telephone instrument to be positioned either on a horizontal surface, for example, a desktop or on a vertical surface, for example, a wall. In prior arrangements the base stand module was physically connected to the base module via screws or the like. Consequently, in order to rotate the base stand module from one mounting position to the other, the screws had to be removed and then the base stand could be rotated to the other mounting position. Thereafter, the screws had to be reinserted in order to secure the base stand module to the base module.
There are other telephone base arrangements that can be arranged to be either placed on a desktop or wall mounted. One particular telephone base includes a base module and a removable base stand module. The removable base stand module when placed in one orientation will incline the telephone base to a higher angular position or elevation when attached to the telephone. However there is only one additional possible inclined position and it is fixed. When the base stand module is rotated in another orientation relative to the telephone base the telephone can be wall mounted. Another problem with such an arrangement is that the base stand module is removable and when the telephone base is being used without it, the base stand module may be missed placed. In any event it would have to be located and then physically connected to the telephone base in other to either elevate it or wall mount it.
Additionally, it would be desirable that the telephone instrument could be easily inclined to any one of a plurality of positions. Once the telephone is in a particular position it is also desirable that it cannot be easily moved from that position by applying downward force to the top of the telephone. Similarly, it is also desired that when the telephone is wall mounted that it cannot be easily be pulled off the wall by a pulling force.